Amy and the Great World

Archives for September 2016

Baking

Oktoberfest + the Bake Off Bake Along Week 3!

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If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen that this past weekend I was in Munich for Oktoberfest!

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It was about as crazy as I ever thought it would be–and about as fun too.

And it will take me a few more days to recover!

Last week, I also took part in the dreaded Bread Week challenge for the Bake Off Bake Along with Amanda and Ala.

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I shouldn’t say dreaded, however–I absolutely love making bread and this was potentially the challenge I was looking forward to the most! Of course, the challenges I had to choose from were not easy: a chocolate bread, steamed buns, or a braided showstopper.

I used this recipe as I’ve used recipes from their book before (which sadly is in storage in my parents’ basement…thanks Mom & Dad!) and I’ve always wanted to try a brioche.

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It was definitely my most successful bake yet!

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I made extra dough and I can’t wait to make this again.

Next week…batter week! Yikes!

Baking Expat Life Hungary

New Routine in Budapest & Bake Along Week 2!

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Over my whirlwind of summer, I didn’t realize how much I was missing one thing especially–a routine.

It’s something this always-a-traveler never thought I would say, but when we moved into our lovely new flat and I started the school year, I was so happy to stop living out of a suitcase and to have a consistent schedule (seriously, who am I?).

Of course, my new routine looks a bit different than I expected, and I’m still establishing it. My teaching schedule, which at first glance looks like a dream with almost-free afternoons, is quite grueling. I don’t have oodles of free time to bake (although I did have time to make this week’s Bake Along challenge–see below!) and write and explore the city and plan trips and keep in touch with friends and hang out with new and old ones here in the city.

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Well, at least I didn’t in the first week–but the first week in any new job is an adjustment, and I think the first week of school is always hectic. I haven’t spoken much about it on the blog, but I was miserable at my last job–especially in the first few months. So much so that I really wasn’t certain I wanted to stay in Budapest–or come back, after this summer.

Long story short, even though it wasn’t an easy decision to move jobs, so far I’m feeling much more positive than I ever felt at the last one. Exhausted, yes–but that’s not a surprise. Challenged, still a little anxious, but pleased, and often enjoying myself. And, overall, really happy to still be here in Budapest. I’m glad I didn’t give up on this city!

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Anyway, back to routines. As I said, my first week was way too exhausting to take part in many of the activities I listed above, but I was able to squeeze in a bake for the Bake Off Bake Along with Amanda and Ala!

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This week, the options were iced biscuits (cookies in American-speak), Viennese whirls, or gingerbread structures. Remembering several incidents where my creatively designed (aka Pinterest) iced cookies were destroyed by my lack of skills, I passed on the biscuits. Since my favorite gingerbread is the soft kind–not exactly conducive to structural integrity–that meant that the technical challenge won out.

Bring on the Viennese whirls!

I used Mary Berry’s recipe, partly because they had to use hers in the episode, and also because I’ve never had a chance to make any of her recipes and it seems like a rite of passage into this whole Bake Along thing.

Spoiler alert: mine looked nothing like Mary’s.

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Before I continue, let me just say–I hope I never have to make these again. No one else to seems to complaining about this though–was it just my tools? The piping was soooo difficult and they did not end up looking pretty at. all. I might just need some serious gym time (which okay, I do) but I even had E give it a try and he struggled, too. This is the first technical challenge I’ve ever done–and I have so much more respect for the bakers and their knowledge now! I can’t imagine trying to bake something like this without the full instructions.

Oh, and also, I over-baked them. Not exactly burned but much too brown.

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You can even see a few of the biscuits that I just made into little balls and flattened after my piping bag exploded due to the pressure from the batter (Hungary really needs to get on the sturdy-piping-bag train). By making them like this, I learned that the piping is definitely a necessary step–the piped ones just tasted better. Can someone explain that to me?? (Although I suppose why else would we be putting ourselves through piping hell just because they look pretty? We’re not that shallow of bakers, are we? ARE WE, MARY??)

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I think I would be getting last place in this technical challenge.

One thing that could maybe convince me to bake these again–after plenty of time and distance–was that they were definitely delicious.

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Which is half the battle, anyway.

Travel

Snacking Around the World, part 1

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Much like places that stick with you, food is another thing that can define a city, country or culture for you, long after you say farewell.

Some places are famous for their food, and you can’t wait to try it long before you get there–espresso in Italy, gulyás in Hungary, crepes in France. Some other food you discover when you get there, but after you leave, you will forever associate it with that place–yogurt for Greece, hot-pot for central China, squid for Croatia.

I find trying new food to be one of the most exciting things about going to a new place–who’s with me??–or, when returning to a destination, I can’t wait to revisit my favorite dishes!

To spread out the food love while sticking to a budget, I often tend to snack (which I also wrote about here, because I just can’t write enough about snacking around the world).

My favorite snacks around the world include (but are definitely not limited to!)…

Gelato in Italy

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More than once I had gelato instead of an actual meal. I have no regrets.

Roti in Thailand

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These Thai thin pancakes, usually sold from carts on the street, can have a variety of flavors, but I’d usually go for coconut milk and/or chocolate. I remember picking these up on several late-night occasions–midnight snack, yo. I also clearly recall my last day in the country, I needed one more roti before leaving…and of course it took us hours to find a cart…but I would not be deterred. Such is my passion for roti, and for snacking (and perhaps sugar…).

Waffles in Belgium

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Waffles in Belgium. Not a bad reason to visit the country–where you will also find fries, chocolate, beer, amazing cheese, adorable towns, and more! But you guys–the waffles.

Topinky in Prague

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Fried bread accompanied by garlic cloves that you apply as butter. Perhaps one of the best appetizers ever. Just be careful and don’t make it look like you applied butter, because then you will smell like garlic for weeks. But….there are worse things.

Arroz con leche (Rice pudding) in Costa Rica

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Excuse the terrible picture, but every time we ate rice pudding, the lighting was poor. I just had to document it anyway! I can’t even tell you how many times we had this on our honeymoon (which was six weeks, baby).

Mulled Wine in Germany

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Another thing that took precedence over a meal. Can you tell we didn’t have much to soak up the wine?

Dumplings in China

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I admit that my first few dumplings in China were not a hit. Eventually I got over my texture issues–if you eat enough!–and I started to see the glory of the dumpling. I love that every province or even region has their own type of dumpling–so many more to try!

Pastry in France

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Ah, France. Where you can eat a buttery croissant with some coffee and call it a respectable breakfast. I can’t even list the embarrassing number of pastries we tried during our week in Paris–but especially when you are on a budget, they are the cheapest still-delicious things you can find!

Scones in England

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I suppose this category should actually be called clotted cream as that is my true love–but scones and clotted cream are made for each other, like peanut butter & jelly or Will & Kate.

Porridge in Ireland

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I’m not sure this one really counts as a “snack” but I just have to tell you about the porridge in Ireland. The one above also came with clotted cream which pretty much brought me to tears. True love will do that.

Smørrebrød in Copenhagen

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Or, open-faced sandwiches in Denmark. I think I need to go back to Copenhagen to give the rest of these a try.

Papanasi (doughnut dessert) in Romania

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Fried dough + sour cream + jam = a Romanian delight. And a birthday dessert for E!

Fun Ice Cream in Germany

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My ice cream tastes tend to expose me as a fake adult. In my defense, the picture of this one in Munich was not a mouse, although the German title of the dessert did include maus so really, I have no defense. The best part of ordering this (besides how delicious it really tasted) was that the waiter thought it was hilarious and said “squeak squeak!” when he put it in front of me.

Do you prefer small meals or snacks when you travel?

Linking up with Emma, Jessi, Angie, and Tanja. 

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